Building Design Systems That Scale

Building a design system is easy. Building one that teams actually use is hard.

The Problem

I've seen countless design systems fail. Not because they were poorly designed, but because they didn't solve the right problems. Teams would build beautiful component libraries, document everything meticulously, and then watch as nobody used them.

Start with Real Problems

The best design systems I've built started with actual pain points:

• Inconsistent UI patterns across features
• Slow feature development due to rebuilding common components
• Accessibility gaps that were hard to track
• Design-dev handoff friction that slowed everything down

Key Principles

1. Component API Design Matters

Your components should be easy to use correctly and hard to use incorrectly.

// Bad: Too many props, unclear usage
<Button 
  variant="primary" 
  size="md" 
  loading={false} 
  disabled={false}
  onClick={handleClick}
/>

// Good: Clear defaults, composable
<Button onClick={handleClick}>
  Click me
</Button>

<Button variant="secondary" loading>
  Loading...
</Button>

2. Documentation is Your Product

Nobody reads long documentation. Make it:

• Visual - Show examples first
• Interactive - Let people play with props
• Searchable - Find what you need fast
• Practical - Real use cases, not toy examples

I use Storybook for this. Every component gets:

• Multiple usage examples
• Props documentation
• Accessibility notes
• Do's and don'ts

3. Build for Adoption

The best design system is the one people use. Focus on:

Developer Experience:

• TypeScript support out of the box
• Clear error messages
• Intuitive prop names
• Good defaults

Performance:

• Tree-shakeable exports
• Lazy loading for heavy components
• Optimized bundle size

Flexibility:

• Composable components
• Escape hatches when needed
• Theme customization

The Tech Stack

Here's what I typically use:

• React + TypeScript - Type safety is non-negotiable
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first scaling, easy theming
• Radix UI - Accessible primitives
• Storybook - Component documentation
• Turborepo - Monorepo management
• Changesets - Version management

Common Pitfalls

Over-engineering Early

Don't build 50 components on day one. Start with:

1. Buttons
2. Inputs
3. Layout primitives
4. Typography system

Add more as real needs emerge.

Ignoring Migration Path

If you're replacing an old system, make migration gradual:

• Support both old and new side-by-side
• Provide codemods where possible
• Document migration guides
• Track adoption metrics

Skipping Accessibility

Build it in from day one. Every component should:

• Work with keyboard navigation
• Have proper ARIA labels
• Support screen readers
• Handle focus management

Measuring Success

Track these metrics:

1. Adoption rate - % of features using the system
2. Component coverage - % of UI built with system components
3. Development velocity - Time to build new features
4. Consistency score - How many UI patterns exist

Conclusion

A successful design system is one that:

• Solves real problems
• Has great DX
• Grows with your product
• Teams actually use

Start small, iterate based on feedback, and always prioritize developer experience.

---

Have questions about building design systems? Reach out - I'd love to chat.